Latch.



H. D. HARTOG.

LATCH.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 21, 1914.

Patented J an. 19, 1915.

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HENRY DEN HARTOG, OF ORANGE CITY, IOVJA.

LATcri.

gates, silo doors and the like.

In carrying out my invention it is my purpose to provide a simple form of latch which may be easily applied in position for use, and which will operate to fasten or secure the door, irrespective of any sagging of the latter, or of any irregularity in the shape of the door, such as might be due to warping, swelling and shrinking.

Still a further object of my invention is to provide latch which will enhody the desired features of efficiency and reliability, and which, embodying as it does but relatively few parts, may be manufactured and marketed at a comparatively low cost.

I further propose to provide a latch which will provide for holding the door against rebounding as is liable to occur when the door is slammed or closed suddenly.

With the above recited objects and others of a similar nature in view, my invention consists in the construction, combination and arrangement of parts set forth in and falling within the scope of the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a portion of the door and door post or frame and showing the application of my invention thereto. Fig. 2 is a detail View in side elevation of the keeper rod and the operating handles therefor. Fig. 3 is a view in elevation of a portion of the inside of the door and showing the handle for operating the latch from the inside. Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken on the line H of Fig. 3.

In the present instance I have shown my device as it is used in connection with a barn door, but this is merely illustrative, as I wish it to be understood that it is not limited in its useful application to this particular purpose, but may be employed for Specification of Letters Patent.-

door adjacent the free edge thereof.

Patented Jan. 19, 1915.

Application filed May 21, 1914:. Serial No. 840,09 1.

a door and A indicates a portion of the door frame. The door itself is adapted to carry the locking portion of the latch-,while the casing designed to have fastened thereto the keeper section.

. The locking member of the latch embraces a vertically'disposed rotatable locking rod 1, mounted in the bearing straps 2 2 which are fastened by rivets 3 to the The upper portion of this locking rod is turned horizontally or laterally outward as at l, and the terminal of the rod flattened and widened to form a locking tooth 6 which is adapted to engage with the keeper plate, as hereinafter described. The lower end of the keeper rod is reduced as at T, forming the shoulder 8, and this reduced end of the rod is preferably flattened to project through the registering slots 9 9 of the lateral terminals 10-1O of the hz'zndle 11, this handle being formed by bending a flat strip of metal into the form of loop.

Extending through the slot 12 in the door,

which slot lies adjacent the lower end of the locking rod, is the tongue 12 which extends from the thumb piece 13. This lateral tongue 12, as will be seen, extends through the slot and slides between the lateral terminals of the outside handle, the tongue being perforated or slotted for the passage of the reduced flattened end of the locking rod. The inside handle 13 which also forms a guard for the thumb piece 13 is secured to the door as shown in Fig. 3, and it is to be understood that the slot through which the tongue 12 projects is wide enough to permit said tongue to be shifted or moved from side to side sufficiently by means of the thumb piece 1.3 to turn the rod 1 and throw the locking tooth of the locking rod out of contact with the keeper plate. This keeper plate, as will be seen by reference to the drawing, comprises a flat piece of metal K which is bent centrally upon itself to form the horizontally extending sections I l-1 L, which gradually diverge or spread apart from the outer free end where the plates are connected toward the inner ends thereof, the inner ends of the plate being then bent at right angles to form the vertical attaching lips 15-45. The side edges of the horizontal sections of the plate which are nearest the door opening, are serrated or toothed as at 16 to form notches for the engagement of the locking tooth of the locking rod. It will thus be seen that the horizontal section of the keeper platejs provided with a duplicate serrated edge for retaining the teeth of the keeper rod, and furthermore by forming this section of the keeper plate of two plies of material, such plate has a certain amount of resiliency which will tend to give the plate a binding action when the tooth of the keeper rod is snapped into the toothed edge of the plate.

From the above description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, the construction and operation of my device will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art.

When the door is in the closed position shown in F ig. 1, the locking bar is turned by means of the handle 11 so that the looking tooth thereof engages with the notches formed by the serrated edges of the looking plate. When it is desired to open the door, the handle is turned in the opposite direction to release the locking tooth from engagement with the keeper plate.

' It will further be seen that the locking rod may be operated from the inside of the door by the turning of the thumb piece 13', as above mentioned.

. It will be noted that I have provided a simple yet efficient form of lock which is adapted for doors and gates of various kinds, and. which will hold the door shut or fastened even when the door does not fit properly.

What I claim is 1. In a device of the class described, the combination of a keeper plate having a notched edge, a rotatable locking rod having an angular head terminating 1n Va widened locking too-th adapted to engage the serrated edge of the keeper plate and.

apair of handles connected with the lower end of the locking rod for operating the latter.

2. In a device of the class described, the

combination with ya keeper plateembraoing having a double serrated edge, of a 1'0- tatably mounted locking rod having the upper end thereof bent at right angles to the main portion, the terminal of said upper end being flattened to form a locking tooth adapted to engage with the double serrated edge of the keeper plate, the lower end of said rod being reduced and flattened, a handle member having laterally extending end portions fitting over the end of the locking rod, and a second handle having a tongue portion fitting over the reduced end of the locking rod and lying between the lateral ends of the first mentioned handle.

In testimony whereof, I afiix my signature, in the presence of two witnesses.

HENRY DEN HAR'IOG. Witnesses G. J. SL013,

HERMAN DE PASKE.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G. 

